Prayagraj: Pandas take a hit as bereaved families give Sangam a miss

PRAYAGRAJ: Up until a week ago, Prayagraj-based "panda" (priest) Raj Pandey’s days were packed as he guided people through the ritual of asthi visarjan on the ghats of Sangam. People come to Prayagraj from far and wide to immerse the ashes of their near and dear ones in Sangam — the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and mythological Saraswati. However, ever since the lockdown was announced to curb the spread of novel coronavirus, Pandey’s days are spent waiting for customers. As crowds thin on ghats along Sangam, the lockdown has affected his meagre earnings. "On regular days, at least 20 to 30 people from neighbouring districts and even other parts of the country used to arrive at Sangam to immerse ashes of their kith and kin. Nowadays, there are hardly one or two people coming here." It is a common sight at Sangam on regular days: People coming packed in vehicles from neighbouring districts like Reewa, Satna, Chitrakoot, Kaushambi and Pratapgarh as well as other parts of the country to bid the final farewell to a loved one. Even those who are managing to reach Sangam to perform the ritual have their own share of troubles. "When my grandfather died, I went to district authorities to get passes for five family members to come to Sangam. However, we were given only three passes — one for the driver and two for family members," said Rohit, who came from Chitrakoot. "We faced a lot of difficulties while crossing the district’s borders and police stopped us at multiple locations." "Most people are now performing the last rites of their family members in their villages and were avoiding coming to Sangam or ghats along Ganga to immerse ashes," Pandey added. Madhav, another priest said, "It has been difficult for us to make ends meet ever since the lockdown was enforced. Most people are unable to come to Sangam for immersion of ashes due to the strict norms." The wood sellers with shops on ghats in Rasoolabad and Daraganj claimed that their businesses had been hit as well. A local wood seller Rajkumar said, “There is no dearth of woods, but people are avoiding coming to ghats to cremate their family members. The number of funeral pyres lit on ghats per week was around 60-70. However, the number has reduced to 15-20.” While people from neighbouring district \ states were not allowed to approach sangam or ghats located on the banks of Ganga ( Prayagraj) due to strict enforcement of lockdown, people particularly those living in rural areas of Prayagraj district itself were also not arriving on Ganga ghats. Prayagraj police are issuing passes for the bare minimum number for people required for taking bodies to ghats for cremation. Only six to eight persons were allowed to attend funerals and that are required to travel in separate vehicles. In four-wheelers, only two persons are allowed to commute apart from the driver, that too one of them has to sit at the back and the other in the passenger seat. Others are preferring to go to electronic crematoriums for last rites.